Name that Star ~ a Guessing Game

Are you a trivia buff? Can you name that star based on tidbits of information? Play the guessing game and let me know how you scored.

Born July 15, 1961 in Texas, this Academy Award Best Actor winner grew up in Los Angeles California where his family relocated when he was four years old. His father sold insurance and his grandfather wrote novels. His mother earned two Masters degrees while raising her four children pursuing a career in special education. A football scholarship took him to college and a back injury sent him to study opera at the University of Southern California. He continued his education beginning his film career in 1982.

Married with four children the actor is a vegetarian and has a black belt in karate.Can you name that star?

Born on August 17, 1943 in New York city, he won two Academy Awards in addition to a Golden Globe. His mother was a painter. His father was an abstract expressionist painter and sculptor. He dropped out of school at age 13 to join a street gang and studied at Lee Strasberg's Actor's Studio. His career began at age 16 working in theatre and off-Broadway productions. The actor has also directed and produced films. Off camera he invests in real estate and other ventures such as founding a film studio, film festival and restaurants.

Married twice in addition to a long term relationship he has four children and one adopted child. Can you name that star?

Born premature on May 13, 1950 this boy wonder was put in an incubator. The multi-talented singer, songwriter, producer won twenty-five Grammy Awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award and Academy Award for Best Song. He was inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. Best known, perhaps, for his keyboard and harmonica work, he plays 11 musical instruments. Growing up in Detroit Michigan he was trained in classical piano at the Michigan School for the Blind in Lansing. He recorded his first hit record in 1963 at age 13. Three of his 34 hit singles were co-written with his mother.

Married several times he has 10 children. Can anyone not name that star?

Born January 9, 1941 this 1960s era pop star is well known for her Civil Rights activism, war protests and work on other humanitarian causes. She is a first generation daughter of immigrant parents. Her father was a renown physicist His work with the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization moved the family to many cities and countries around the world including Iraq. Her musical career began when she bought her first guitar at age 15. Due to her mixed heritage she felt ostracized by classmates and won friends by entertaining them.

Although she began paid performances at local clubs in the late 1950s in Massachusetts, her popular musical career began in 1959 at the Newport Folk Festival and recording an album the following year for a major label. She has one son from a short marriage in addition to being linked romantically with another popular folk artist. Can you name that star?

Born on October 16, 1947 in San Francisco he grew up with his adoptive parents in Atherton, California. This performer was expelled from several schools due to undiagnosed dyslexia. Singer, songwriter and guitarist, he is best known for being the founder of a popular rock group and slide guitar performances.

He has two children with his wife, whose sister is a NASCAR race car driver. Can you name that star?

Born on September 11, 1943 this drummer won a Grammy Award in 1991 for Best World Music Album. Growing up in California he became interested in percussion drumming when a Nigerian drummer performed at his school and he was asked to try out the instrument. With his father, a champion rudimental drummer, he owned and operated a music store, selling drums and other musical instruments. In 1967 he became a member of a popular rock band which he left in 1971. He has traveled the world gathering information to write and publish 4 books on the tradition of drumming throughout history.

In addition he is on the Board of Directors of the Institute for Music and Neurologic Foundation; on the Board of Trustees for the American Folklife Center and Spokesperson for Save Our Sounds initiative. He also serves on the Library of Congress National Recorded Sound Preservation Board, often recording and reissuing historical and cultural sound recordings. Can you name that star?

The reason I am asked you to play "name that star" is because an Associated Content writer said in a recent aritcle: "I am emphatically stating his followers are displaying the same types of messianic worship that Hitler's followers displayed toward him."

Is it reasonable to think that stars of this calibre and ages are displaying "messianic worship" of Senator Barack Obama? The accomplishment of the Content Producer is that, in one years time writing for AC, he was not able to make the Top 1000 producer list. Is it possible that Forest Whitaker, Robert De Niro, Stevie Wonder (Steveland Hardaway Morris), Joan Baez, Bob Weir and Mickey Hart know the difference between groupies that follow rock stars around and people who support a candidate based on similar ideals and stance on issues?

Bob Weir and Mickey Hart know a bit about adoring fans. Although the Grateful Dead have gone through many band member changes and no longer perform they have a dedicated base of fans that call themselves Deadheads. The guys held a surprise concert in San Francisco in support of Senator Obama. Weir explained to the press: "The last time hope was in the air, it was ended by a bullet. We've been reluctant to do political events all along." Weir was referring to the 1968 night when Robert F.Kennedy was assassinated while giving a speech after winning the California Democratic primary.

Does it not make more sense that a person who for falls prey to yellow journalism would make easier prey for Hitler type propaganda then the stars above who have lived in the public eye for many years? Words are powerful; they can be used to uplift or to bring down; used to tell truth or spread slander and gossip. Integrity among journalists seems to be sorely lacking. Even here at the People's Media.

Thank you for playing name that star.